The Dying Age

The Clockwork Plague

30

JUL/12

After returning to town, the heroes are greeted by a demonic contingent bearing the sigils of a minor duke of hell, Cogwheel Jack. They are told to bring human sacrifices to the Greenstand Ruins which he has infested, or else. Bjorn Greyhand steps in to lead the contingent, while the barbarian hunts down wild hogs to serve as replacement sacrifices.

The area around the ruins has begun transforming into a hellhole: the plants and animals have become twisted mecho-organic mockeries of themselves, and the taint is spreading. Once they arrive at the ruins Greyhand challenges Cogwheel Jack for his position, using ancient demonic language to do so. The demon names the location of the fight, his throne room. The paladin chooses weapons: bare hands. Jack howls in delight, showing his blades and saws built onto his frame, but soon shrieks in terror when shown Greyhand’s angelic fist.

The party makes their was in for the showdown, and discovers Jack’s throne also powers the gate connecting the hellhole to the demonic realm. When the fight begins, Greyhand tackles Jack while the party fights through to the throne and destroys it. Once the demon lord is put down, the wizard takes its heart and consumes it to fuel his power.

The paladin assumes lordship of the hellhole, much as the Crusader did at First Triumph, and orders the ruins turned into a combination forge and fortress to begin creating the army that will march on the Fire Islands hellhole. Thus was forged the Fortress Inevitable.

While the paladin became a hellduke commanding the fortress, the sorceress Pyre assumed the title of duchess of the Red Wastes using the Writ they had found with Eradras’ Flame. The pair sent out heralds to nearby settlements announcing the change, and the company began preparing for war.